Clothesline



y 6, 1952 G. H. SEBADE 2,595,817

I CLOTHESLINE Filed May 29, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR. 5

G eo rge E s eade y 6, 1952 G- H. SEBADE 2,595,817

CLOTHESLINE Filed May 29, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET '2 INVENTOR. George HJbade BY ighzddocfif Patented May 6, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOTHESLINE George H. Sebade, Deer River, Minn.

Application May 29, 1950, Serial No. 164,877

4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to clotheslines, and the objects of the invention are to provide a clothesline in the use of which no clothespins are required; to provide such a clothesline of the link type whereby the line may be made to any desired length, and lengthened or shortened according to requirements; and in general to provide such a clothesline which is simple and economical in construction, which may be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled, and which is especially effective in use.

-An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevaticnal view of a clothesline constructed according to the invention and mounted for use in hanging articles of clothing to dry;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan view of a complete link forming part of the chain-type clothesline and showing fragments of other links interconnected therewith;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the same;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the same taken on line 5- -5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the same taken on line 6-6 of Figure 4; and

Figure 7 is a top plan view of one link, prior to its interconnection with other links of similar form in order to make up a clothesline.

Referring now in detail to this drawing wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals in the several views, a clothesline constructed according to the invention is shown in Figures 1 and 2 strung between upright posts I and II, it being understood that any other suitable moorings might be utilized for the purpose. The main body of the clothesline comprises a series of interconnected links and may by adding or subtracting links be made to any required length. Each link comprises a length of spring wire bent to form spaced apart body strands I2 extending in the general direction of the clothesline and connected at adjacent ends (the ends to the left as viewed in the drawing) by the medial bight portion of the wire. This bight portion of the wire is curled to form spaced apart spring coils I3 and is then bent to the left over the body strands to form a clasp I4 which is normally urged into engagement with the body strands I2 of the wire by the force of the spring coils I3.

The body strands I2 are normally divergent, being connected by the bight portion of the wire at their convergent ends. The opposite or divergent end portions I of the body strands I2 are turned inwardly toward each other and are inserted within the spring coils I3 of the-next link of the clothesline by pressing the strands I2 toward each other at these divergent ends. A hasp I6 is provided for each link of the clothesline for releasably securing the inwardly turned end portions I5 of each link within the spring coils I3 of the next link. Each hasp I 6 spans the body strands I2 of its link and is curled around said strands so that the hasp is longitudinally slidably mounted on the link. It will readily be seen that sliding movement of the hasp I6 toward the convergent ends of the body. strands permits the body strands to diverge as seen in Figure '7, whereas sliding movement of the hasp in the opposite direction draws the body strands I2 into substantial parallelism, with the'inwardly turned end portions I5 thereof engaging in the spring coils I3 of the next link. The links may thus be readily interconnected ordisconnected for making up a clothesline of the required length.

As seen in Figures 1 and 2, the right hand end of the clothesline there shown has a loop I! connected to the end link and also to a bracket I8 secured to the post I I as by means of screws IS. The left hand end of the clothesline has a loop 20 secured to the end link, and a coil spring 2I is interposed between the loop 20 and a mooring pin 22 which is slidably disposed in an aperture 23 in the post ID and which is threaded on its outer end to receive a wing nut 24. The spring 2I compensates for any difference in the length of clothesline desired and the lengths which can be made up with the links, and slack may be taken up in the line by turning the wing nut 24.

Articles to be hung are fastened to the clothesline by lifting a clasp I4 of a convenient link as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 4, inserting a portion of the article between the clasp I4 and the body strands I2 of the link, and then releasing the clasp to thus securely grip the article and suspend it from the clothesline. The conventional use of clothespins is thus eliminated, and the operation can be quickly and easily performed.

While but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as the same is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A clothesline comprising a series of interconnected links, each link comprising a length of spring wire bent to form spaced apart body strands extending in the general direction of the clothesline and connected at adjacent ends by the medial bight portion of the wire, the ends of the strands adjacent the bight portion being coiled inwardly to form spring coils and then bent upwardly between the strands and outwardly, thence downwardly and alongside the outer surfaces of the strands, and finally upwardly and inwardly and terminating in the bight of the wire, thus forming a clasp normally urged into engagement with the body strands by the force of said spring coils, the end portions of the wire at opposite ends of the body strands being turned inwardly toward each other and inserted within the spring coils of the next link to interconnect said links.

2. A clothesline comprising a series of interconnected links, each link comprising a, length of spring wire bent to form spaced apart body strands extending in the general direction of the clothesline and connected at adjacent ends by the medial bight portion of the wire, the ends of the strands adjacent the bight portion being coiled inwardly to form spring coils and then bent upwardly between the strands and outwardly, thence downwardly and alongside the outer surfaces of the strands, and finally upwardly and inwardly and terminating in th bight of the wire, thus forming a clasp normally urged into engagement with the body strands by the force of said spring coils, the end portions of the wire at opposite ends of the body strands being turned inwardly toward each other and inserted within the spring coils of the next link to interconnect said links, and means for securing said inwardly turned ends of the body strands within said spring coils.

3. A clothesline comprising a series of interconnected links, each link comprising a length of spring wire bent to form spaced apart normally divergent body strands extending in the general direction of the clothesline and connected at their convergent ends by the medial bight portion of the wire, the ends of the strands adjacent the bight portion being coiled inwardly to form spring coils and then bent upwardly between the strands and outwardly, thence downwardly and alongside the outer surfaces of the strands, and finally upwardly and inwardly and terminating in the bight of the wire, thus forming a clasp normally urged into engagement with the body strands by the force of said spring coils, the end portions of the wire at opposite ends of the body strands being turned inwardly toward each other and inserted within the spring coils of the next link by pressing the body strands toward each other at their divergent ends, and means for securing said inwardly turned ends of the body strands within said spring coils.

4. A clothesline comprising a series of interconnected links, each link comprising a length of spring wire bent to form spaced apart normally divergent body strands extending in the general direction of the clothesline and connected at their convergent ends by the medial bight portion of the wire, the ends of the strands adjacent the bight portion being coiled inwardly to form spring coils and then bent upwardly between the strands and outwardly, thence downwardly and alongside the outer surfaces of the strands, and finally upwardly and inwardly and terminating in the bight of the wire, thus forming a clasp normally urged into engagement with the body strands by the force of said spring coils, the end portions of the wire at opposite ends of the body strands being turned inwardly toward each other and inserted within the spring coils of the next link by pressing the body strands toward each other at their divergent ends, and means for securing said inwardly turned ends of the body strands within said spring coils comprising a hasp spanning the body strands and longitudinally slidably mounted thereon whereby movement of the hasp toward the convergent ends of the body strands permits the body strands to diverge and movement of the hasp in the opposite direction draws and secures the body strands into substantial parallelism.

GEORGE H. SEBADE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 497,247 Lane et a1. May 9, 1893 497,248 Lane May 9, 1893 1,783,245 Law Dec. 2, 1930 

